1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a step of forming a metal silicide layer, a semiconductor inspection device, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lowering contact resistance for an impurity region formed in a semiconductor layer containing silicon (for example, a source region or drain region of a transistor) and lowering resistance in such impurity regions have been required with high-integration and miniaturization of a semiconductor device. For lowering resistances, it is effective to form a metal silicide layer such as a titanium silicide layer, a cobalt silicide layer, or a nickel silicide layer over a surface of the semiconductor layer.
A method for forming the metal silicide layer is as follows. First, a metal layer such as a titanium layer, a cobalt layer, or a nickel layer is formed over a semiconductor layer containing silicon by a sputtering method, for example. Subsequently, the metal layer and the semiconductor layer are heat-treated (for example, at 400° C.) by an RTA method. Accordingly, silicon is dispersed in the metal layer or metal is dispersed in the semiconductor layer containing silicon, and metal and silicon react with each other, whereby a metal silicide layer is formed. Thereafter, metal which is not silicified is removed by wet etching (for example, see Patent Document 1: Japanese Published Patent Application No. H5-283696 (17th paragraph and 18th paragraph).